154 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ August 17, 1876. 



laying hens, all of good breeds, and without any outlay, and my 

 returns were more than doubled. My expenses at the same 

 time were less, and even with a decreasing tendency. I sent 

 one or two birds of my rearing to a poultry show, and won not 

 only a £10 prize, but sold my birds at fancy prices. My eggs 

 and fowls I now began to send to the tradesmen round about 

 after providing for the home demands, and especially during 

 autumn and winter, realised high prices for my produce. I 

 soon had a bit of money in the Bavings' bank, and when I was 

 forced to go into the world and work for my living I could no 

 longer devote my time to poultry breeding. I sold thirty-six 

 fowls of various flue breeds at an average of £2 a-piece, taking 

 the bad with the good, and retired with a very decent sum at 

 my back, as the result of my innocent request at the breakfast 

 table a few years before — " Give 'em to me, father." 



A great many details of fowl management I have necessarily 

 been compelled to skip over owing to the limits of my space, 

 but on these, if I may be permitted and my readers would like 

 to heir them, I can enlarge more fully at another time. — 

 (Housekeeper.) 



POULTRY AND BIRD NEWS. 



We are sorry to hear that the celebrated establishment of 

 French poultry belonging to the late Mr. W. Dring of Faver- 

 sham is entirely broken up. We learn that MrB. Dring has 

 abandoned all intention of continuing to exhibit, and has sold 

 all the Creves to Mr. Burrell, and the Houdans and La Fleehe 

 to Mrs. Vallance. We hope sincerely that the mantle of our 

 deceased friend will descend upon the new owners. 



The Leghorn Club is certainly at work, and that too very 

 vigorously. We find they have arranged for classes for both the 

 varieties at Weymouth, Bath, Middleton, Oxford, Newcastle, 

 Cirencester, Alexandra Palace, Swindon, Shrewsbury, Car- 

 marthen, Aylesbury, and for other Bhows. We hear, too, they 

 propose to publish a Standard of Excellence for the breed ; and 

 if so, we shall hope to have a copy sent to us, when we will 

 report upon it. 



Portsmouth seems to get deeper into disgrace, for no prizes 

 seem to be paid, or are many of the letters answered. We hope 

 exhibitors will all combine and enforce the payment of the prize 

 money. We do not think they will hesitate to do so, for the 

 statement of the Committee on the first page of the schedule as 

 regards payment of prize money is very plain. Many, too, will 

 remember the grand banquet which was going on while ex- 

 hibitors were endeavouring fruitlessly to get the awards, and will 

 feel if there was money forthcoming for that, so must it be 

 found to pay the prize money. 



We would urge once more exhibitors and breeders of the less- 

 cultivated breeds to apply at once to Mr. J. King, 111, St. Aldate's, 

 Oxford, the Hon. Secretary of the Poultry Show, as the Com- 

 mittee are desirous of making their schedule as pleasing as 

 possible to all, and only want support and promise of help to 

 put such breeds as Sultans, Minorcas, White Malays, Peruvian 

 Ducks, Booted Bantams, and such like on the same level in 

 prize money as Brahmas and Cochins. We cannot help remem- 

 bering that Oxford has played a most important part in the 

 present prosperity of Silkies, Leghorns, Black Cochins, &c, for 

 in many cases they provided classes and cups for these breeds 

 when they had previously had none before at most exhibitions — 

 in fact Silkies made their debut here with a clasB to themselves. 

 Pigeons this year are, we learn, to be on the single-bird system, 

 and the Committee are equally ready here to make new classeB 

 where promises of help are given. 



The Ipswich and Eastern Counties Society's Show, to be held 

 in September, is the Society's first exhibition. The Society is 

 in no way connected with the Show held at Ipswich in December. 



Blue and second Yellow, two nice specimens. Fantails a pretty 

 fair lot. Owls good indeed, the first and second White African 

 and also the very highly commended. Some good English had 

 to put up with poorer fare. The Variety class was an extra 

 good one ; first a Grey Frillback, second a Blondinette, and 

 third Yellow Barb. Many others were noticed. Mr. Beckwith 

 won the points prize. 



POULTRY— Dorkings— 1, T. P. Carver. Cochins— 1 and 2. G. H. Procter. 

 Brahmas.— 1, T. P. Carver. 2, J. N. Lawson. Hamburghb.— Golden-pencilled. 

 — 1 and 2, T. P. Carver. Golden-spangled.— 1 and 2, T. P. Carver. Silver- 

 spanaled.—\, J. Hudson. 2, G. Alderson. Game.— Black-breasted or other Reds. 

 — 1, W. Bearpark. 2, C. Taylor. Extra 2, W. Allan. Bantams — Game.— 1, T. 

 Putnam. 2, J. T. Winter. Any other variety.— I and 2, T. P. Carver. Ducks. 

 —Rouen.— 1, T. P. Carver. 2, Miss J. Scott. Ant Bre*d.— Chickens — 1, G. H. 

 Procter. 2, J. Hudson. 3, W. Bearpark. vhc, W. Henderson. Geese.— 1, 

 T. P. Carver. 2, H. Forrest, vhc, Miss M. Brown. Turkeys.— 1, T. P. Carver. 

 Any other Variety.-1. T. P. Carver. 2, J. Hudson. Selling Class.— 1, J. 

 Hudson. 2, W. Allan. Point prize.— T. P. Carver. 



PIGEONS.— Carrier.— 1, 2. and vhc, W. Beckwith. Pouter— 1 and 2, R. A. 

 Nicholson, vhc, R. A. Nicholson, W. Beckwith. Tumbler.— 1, 2, and vhc, W. 

 Beckwith, Jacobin. — 1, G Alderson. 2, J. Young. Turbit.— 1, G. Alderson. 

 2 and vhc, W. Beckwith. Fantail.— 1, R. F. Nicholson. 2, W. Beckwith Owl. 

 —1 and 2, G. Alderson. vhc, J. Young. Any other Variety. — 1, 2, and 8, W. 

 Beckwith. vhc, J. Young, W. C. Moody. 



R.\BBITS.-Lop-eared.—1,W. Simpson. 2, W. Allan. Any other Variety. 

 — 1, MIbs Sutherland. 2, R. Laverick. 



Judge. — Mr. E. Hutton, Padsey. 



CASTLE EDEN SHOW OF POULTRY, &c. 



The annual Show of the Castle Eden District Agricultural 

 Society was held at Houghton-le- Spring on the 8th inst. Un- 

 fortunately the Show had not been sufficiently advertised to 

 insure a good entry, and it would be well for the Council to see 

 to this point for another season. 



Among the few entries, however, we noticed some capital 

 birds in Mr. Procter's winning Cochins and Mr. Carver's stud, 

 the latter gentleman carrying off the points prize, and in the 

 chicken class we found by far the best Cochin pullets we have 

 seen this year — in fact, so good was one that we do not expect 

 to see her surpassed at any show. These were in the open field, 

 but the Pigeons, of which there was a good entry, were placed 

 in a very neat tent. In Carriers, first was a good Black hen and 

 second a Dun cock ; a Black cock was very highly commended. 

 In Pouters, Whites in splendid condition won ; the remainder 

 very good, but out of feather, Tumblers, though good, were 

 not so well shown. First a Yellow Agate, and second a Kite 

 very good in head properties. Jacobins a grand class of thirteen, 

 and mostly Reds, and many in nice order. In Turbits, first was 



IDLE SHOW OF POULTRY, &c. 



The first Show of the Idle Agricultural Society was held on the 

 12th inst , and the weather being fine it proved a great success. 

 The poultry, Pigeons, and Rabbits were shown in Turner's pens, 

 arranged on three sideB of the field. In poultry there were 

 107 entries, in Pigeons 223, and in Rabbits 27. The stafi of 

 assistants was far too small for the amount of work, and the 

 consequence was that the Secretary himself had to put up the 

 cards, and this was not done till a late hour. 



In poultry SpanisJivrere first on the list, and theBewere a nice 

 lot, and the awards well made. Game (old) were very good, the 

 cop and first going to Piles, the cock most perfect; second being 

 Black Reds, very good ; but we were sorry to see Mr. Cock's 

 splendid Brown Reds had to put up with a high commendation. 

 Cochins and Brahmas very good, the latter especially. Sam- 

 burghs were in grand order throughout, and well placed. Game 

 Bantams good, and in the Variety class Whites were first and 

 Blacks second. The cup for the best pen of poultry was given 

 to Mr. Beldon's Silver Polish. Young poultry turned up well in 

 all classes, the Game and Hamburghs being particularly good. 



In Pigeons there were two point cups, and most of the great 

 guns were in competition for them. In the first section — viz., that 

 of standard birds, the contest was keen between Messrs. Fulton 

 and Baker, the latter winning by about seven points ; and in the 

 second section it was said to be a set between Mr. Entwisle and 

 Mr. Ellis, Antwerps being the leading feature with these two 

 gentlemen. Carrier cocks had nine entries, and all noticed. 

 A grand young Black first ; not as heavy as Mr. Baker's well- 

 known Black, which was second, but more to our liking in style 

 of wattle and carriage ; both extraordinary birds. Hens both 

 Duns, of grand properties in both head and beak; the rest all 

 noticed, as also the whole of the Pouters in both classes. 

 Pouters, cocks. — First a White, in splendid show ; second a Ked, 

 not in the best feather ; very highly commended a grand Blue. 

 Hens. — First a Blue hen, grand in style and shape ; a little gay. 

 Second White, a splendid bird, but a little thick in girth. 

 Tumblers (Almonds). — First a well-broken cock; second a hen, 

 which lost in little considering the sex; the rest all good. 

 Tumblers. — First a Yellow Wholefeather; second a Kite, capital 

 in head properties. Barbs. — First a well-known hen, and 

 second a cock; all Blacks, and a very good class. Dragoons, 

 Blue or Silver, a poor class, but winners very good; first Silver 

 and second Blue. Owls (Foreign) the best class in the Show, 

 and an extra second awarded; first and second White, and 

 extra second a Blue hen. EngliBh Owls also a fair lot; first 

 Blue and second Silver. Turbits.— First and second Silvers ; 

 the hen first. In Jacobins we scarcely think a better lot could 

 be got together. The winners were Beds. Fantails not a good 

 entry, and Balds and Beards (Long-faces), and other Long-faces 

 as well, but there were some good birds in the list. Antwerps, 

 Short-faces.— Mr. Entwisle fairly cleared the ground, the rest, 

 though good, being nowhere with them in both classes. Long- 

 faced cocks.— FirBt a well-known Red Chequer, a splendid bird; 

 and second a Dan, dull in colour, but otherwise a good. bird. 

 Long-faced hens. — First Blue Chequer, good in all points bnfc 

 marking; second a Dan. Medium-faced cocks. — First and 

 Becond Silver Duns ; and in hens — first Silver and second Red 

 Chequer. In young birds of the Short-faced variety first and 

 secondjwere very correct, and Borne good ones were also noticed, 

 but many were mediumB. Any other variety of this year pro- 

 duced an extraordinary class, mostly of Long-faced birds, the 

 prizes falling to the lot of Red Chequers which will some day 

 make a stir in the Antwerp classes. The Variety class contained 

 many very good birds, first going to a Black Trumpeter and 

 Beyond to a Nun, both nearly perfect. 

 In Babbits there were but four classes and no extra prizes ; 



